Gun elevating mechanism



Aprifi 9 4. R. J. LENNON HAL 2,346,172

GUN ELEVATING MECHANISM Filed Qct. 27, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.1. Figi Inventur'a I Huber": J- LEru-Lun ElurnLlEl ELE'FEEI-L Attorneys Patented Apr. 11, 1944 UNITED STATES GUN ELEVATING MECHANISM Robert J. Lennon, East Moline, Ill., and Samuel G. Green, Gray, Ga.

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as

amended April 30, 1928; 370 0.. G. 757) Claims.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government forgovernmental purposes, without the payment to us of any royalty thereon.

The subject of this invention is a gun mount and it relates more especially to a cradle for use with machine gun tripods or the like.

The main objects of the invention are the provision of a cradle which will permit high elevation of the gun; in which provision is made for rapid traverse and elevation and also for minor adjustments in both traverse and elevation through compact and simple means; which is provided with a combined traversing and elevating mechanism; and in which means is provided for limiting the travel of the elevating screw.

The specific nature of the invention, as well as other objects and advantages thereof will clearly appear from a description of a preferred embodiment as shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a fragment of a gun mount constructed in accordance with the invention, a gun being shown in place thereon;

Fig. 2 is a plan View of the rear end of the cradle.

Fig. 3 is a view in rear elevation of the cradle with parts in section.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

reference:

A tripod, a fragment of which is shown, is indicated by the numeral H, and mounted in the upper portion of the tripod is the usual pintle |2 which is rotatable on a vertical axis and is formed with spaced apart upstanding arms |3|3 from which a cradle is supported.

The cradle consists of side plates |4| which are trunnioned as at I la to the arms Iii-I3 and which are spaced at their forward ends by a block l5 to which the plates are secured as by means of the bolts IS. The block is provided with a socket to receive the stem I! of a forward gun support to which the gun may be attached by a pin I8 passing through the aperture in the trunnion block of the gun and through eyes formed in the support. Adjacent to their rear ends the side plates are spaced by the rods I9 and 28 one of which, as herein shown the rod 20, forms a guide rod for a traversing block The block 2| is apertured transversely to receive the rod 20 with an easy sliding fit and it has a Window 22 for exposing a scale 23 on the rod. The block is also drilled transversely and tapped to receive a traversing screw 24 which isrjou'rnaled in bearings 25 and 26 secured in respective side plates. Secured to one end of the traversing screw is an operating knob 21 upon which is rotatably mounted a scale ring 28 formed with spokes or lugs 29 by which the same may be turned to bring the scale to zero position in which position itmay be clamped by the knurled nut 30 threaded on the knob. The scale may be read againstv asuitable reference mark 3| formed on the bearing 26. The knob carries the usual click pin 32 and spring 33, the click pin adapted to enter depressions 3d formed i the bearing 26, the purpose of which is to. act as a detent to retain the part in set position and to furnish an indication of the angular displacement of the screw." The traversing block may be slotted transversely, as at 35,'the slot extending into the drilled andftappedportion and a. clamping screw 36 utilized to draw the walls of the slot toward each other to compensate for wear on the traversing screw.

The portion of the traversing block 2| which is disposed between the rod 20 and the traversing screw, 24 is, formed with a. vertical aperture for receivingja bearingsleeve 31 which" is supported by mea ri df acollar 3 8"on i ts upper endfitting into a recess in the block. I

A click ring 39 inserted over the lower 'portion of the sleeve is keyed on the sleeve and held against a shoulder 40 thereof and a shoulder 4| of the block 2| by means of an operating knob 42 which is also keyed on the bushing as shown at 43. The knob is held in place by means of a built-up nut 44 threaded on the lower end of the sleeve. The ring 39, knob 52, and nut i l cooperate to limit the axial movement of the bearing sleeve 31.

A click pin 45 provided with the usual spring 46 is housed in the block 2| and engages peripheral depressions 41 in the click ring. The knob 42 is also provided with a scale ring 48 and clamping nut 49, in all respects similar to the one heretofore described in relation to the traversing screw knob.

The upper part of the bushing 31 is internally tapered to receive the correspondingly tapered portion of an elongated nut 50 which is preferably bearing block 56 is apertured to receive a pin 59' which also passes through spaced lugs Bli 60 on the gun and connects the gun to the tubular head.

of the elevating screw. As the gun moves on an are about the pin l8 and the elevating screw is constrained to move on a straight line it is necessary to provide the movable bearing block 55 which carries the coupling pin.

The lower end of the elevatingscrew is provided with an axial recess 6| for receiving a stop pin 62 whose stem slidably passes through a plug 63 threaded in the extremity of the elevating screw. A head 64 on the inner end of the stop pin is adapted to engage the upper face of the plug while a head 65 on the outer end is adapted to contact the lower face of the elongated nut. The closed end 53 of the cap 52 supports the stop pin until such time as vertical displacement of the elevating screw brings the plug 53 into enagement with the head 64. U

The side plates M of the cradle are provided with the customary arcuate slots '65 through which extends a bolt 65, carrying a clamping handle 61 by which the cradle may be firmly held in various positions of angular adjustment. Major adjustments in elevation of the cradle are efiected by loosening the clamping handle 61, moving the cradle about its trunnions, and then tightening the handle 61,

Minor adjustments in' elevation of the cradle are accomplished by acting on the knob 42 to rotate the axially immovable nut 50 and thereby vertically displace the elevating screw 54.

Major adjustments in azimuth are made by turning the cradle on the pintle l2. Minor adjustments are obtained by acting on the knob 21 to displace the :block 2| transversel of the cradle and to move the gun on its front support Weclaimz.

1. A gun elevating mechanism embodying a support block, a bearing sleeve rotatably mounted in the block and having a" tapered inner portion, a nut threaded to the lower portion of the sleeve and having a slotted tapered portion engaging the tapered portion of the sleeve, and an elevating screw in the nut.

2. A gun elevating mechanism embodying a rotatably mounted bearing sleeve, an elongated nut in the sleeve and fixed thereto, a cap threaded to the lower end of the nut, an elevating screw mounted in the nut, and a stop pin for the elevating screw normally supported by the cap.

3. A gun elevating mechanism embodying a support block, a bearing sleeve rotatably mounted in the block and having a flange on one end in abutting relationship to the support block, a knob coaxially mounted on the other end of the sleeve, a click ring mounted on the sleeve and in abut ting relationship to the support block, a key securing the knob and click ring to the sleeve, a click pin on the support block in cooperating relation to the click ring, a nut threaded on said other I 'end of the sleeve and in abutting relation to the knob, said flange, click ring and knob limiting axial movement of the sleeve, and an elevating screw threaded through the sleeve.

4. In a gun elevating mechanism embodying a support block, a bearing sleeve rotatably mounted in the block, means for limiting axial movement of the sleeve relative to the block, said means including a knob having a cylindrical opening therethrough and coaxially mounted on one end of the sleeve, an elevating screw having a hollow cylindrical portion in one end and threaded through the sleeve, a plug in said end of the screw for closing off said hollow cylindrical portion, a stop pin having enlarged portions on each end thereof and passing through said plug, and a cap on said one end of the sleeve and enclosing the stop pin, said cap being partially disposed in the knob cylindrical opening.

5. A gun aiming mechanism embodying a support block and having a flange in abutting relation to the support block, a bearing sleeve rotatably mounted in the block, a knob coaxially mounted on the sleeve, a click ring mounted on the sleeve, a key securing the knob and click ring to the sleeve, a click pin spring biased on the upport block in cooperating relation to the click ring, a nut threaded on one end of the sleeve and in abutting relation to the knob, means embodying the click ring, nut and knob for limiting axial movement of the bearing sleeve relative to the support block, and an elevating screw threaded through the sleeve.

ROBERT J. LENNON. SAMUEL G. GREEN. 

